Musical instrument



May 15, 1934 v. H. sew-:RY 1,958,866

MUS ICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 15. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 B Y Qur/'i401 TToRNEYs May 15, 1934. v. H. sEvERY I 1,958,856

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. 15, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I4 Ik" 9 I l A IN VEN TOR P12/0f* E 562/6235 Y bf-KA TTORNEYS May 15,1934. v. H. SEVERY 1,958,866

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Feb. l5. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR J5' Y V rwqwromws Patented May 1s, 1934 1,958,866 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,958,866 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Victor ll. Severy, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Central Commercial Company. Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 15, 1930, Serial No. 428,583 14 Claims. (Cl. 84-1) This invention relates to apparatus for produc- A preferred embodiment of the invention is ing music or the like locally or at a distance. described in the following specification, while While features of the invention may be applied the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in any kind of apparatus for producing and rein the appended claims. producing sounds, it is particularly applicable in In the drawings: eo the construction of a musical instrument. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the casing with While this instrument can be played by any its front cover removed, illustrating a portion of means, it is preferably controlled by a keyboard the mechanism of the apparatus for generating of the same general type as the keyboard of a elemental vibrations or impulses to produce thc piano or organ. The general object of the inmusical tones.

vention is to produce apparatus of this kind of Figure 2 is a plan in section of the mechanism simple construction, which can be simply conshown in Figure 1 with the cover of the casing trolled and capable of producing musical notes removed, the driving sheft fOr the mechanism of any quality or timbre; also to provide an inbeing shown in cross section and the lower porstrument of this type with means whereby the tion of the casing being broken away. 70

same note-generating means can be controlled so Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating as to produce, at will, composite tones, each comthe arrangement of mechanisms in a control box,

posed of a fundamental tone combined, at will, through the agency of which the volume of any with any predetermined partial or partiels; also fundamental or partiel tone een be controlled to provide means whereby the volume of the as desired. 75

different partial tones can be controlled, at will, Figure 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating an to enable the instrument to reproduce musical arrangement 0f Switches Which may be emplOl/ed notes in which certain partials predominate, enin the instrument for controlling the circuits. abling the instrument in its operation to produce Figure 5 is a Vertical Section taken about 0n musical notes such as can be produced on differthe line 5-5 uDOn an enlarged seele and fur- 80 ent types of musical instruments, for example, ther illustrating details of the switches illustrated the oboe or any other instrument used in orin Figure 4.

chestras. Figure 6 is a vertical section about on the line A further object of the invention is to provide 6-6 0f Figure 4 and illustrating One 0f the simple controlling means whereby the timbre and switches in its Open DOSitOn- 85 quality of all of the notes produced can be con- Figure '7 is e View similar t0 Figure 6, but ShOW- trolled, at the same time enabling the volume ing one 0f the switches in its closed position.

of the tones produced by the instrument to be Figure 8 is a vertical section illustrating a bank controlled at any instant. of switches which are mounted `within reach of A further object of the invention is to produce the musicien und the Operation 0f Which Will 90 an instrument of this type which can be comenable the instrument to function so as to propletely controlled through the agency of a keyduce tones 0f dilelenli quality 01 timbre Cerreboard similar to a piano keyboard with simple spending t0 different types 0f musical instrumeans within reach of the musician, enabling the mentsinstrument to be transformed instantly, as re- Figure 9 is a hcrizentel section teken about 95 gards its functioning, so that it will function on the line 9--9 of Figure 8 and further illusto produce music corresponding to different types trilling the Switches illustrated in Figure 8.

of musical instruments. Figure 10 is a plan of a pattern disc or con- A further object of the invention is to produce tI'Oller dise, Such as may be employed in the an instrument of this type, which is capable of instrument and illustrating the kind of pattern loo producing music locally and which is also capaor stylus guide grOOVe that I Prefer t0 employ ble of being employed to broadcast music through l assist in Dreducing the musical tones.

radio apparatus without necessitating producing Figure 11 is e Vertical sectiOn and partial elevathe musical sounds at the sending station. tion illustrating the common type 0f key, similar 5o Further objects of the invention will appear to a piano key 0r organ key. that can be employed 105 hereinafter. for playing the instrument.

The invention consists in the novel parts and Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view illustrating combinations of parts to be described hereina pick-up device which may be employed in the after, al1 of which constribute to produce an electric type of the instrument to develop charemcient musical instrument. acteristlc variations in the current flowing in an 110 l electric circuit, and illustrates how the pattern cooperates with the pick-up device to attain this tric pick-up device which may be employed, and

to any particular partial.

also showing a portion of the wiring which mayV be used with this type of pick-up device.

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the instrument can be connected upto a radio sending station for broadcasting purposes.

Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the general arrangement of the apparatus when constructed of the electricl type. and particularly illustrating the relation of the circuits to the pattern members and the pick-up devices tha cooperate with them, and also showing the keyboard and the controls within reach of the musician, and the manner in which the same are connected into the wiring system and to the sound-translating devices.

Before proceeding to a more detailed descrip- Vtion of the invention, it should be stated that one of the characteristic features of the invention is the employment of a control body or a plurality of control bodies which are continuously driven, each body carrying on it a plurality of patterns in the form of grooves, each groove having characteristics corresponding to a certain tone. Such an individual pattern can, if desired, be formed so as to produce a composite tone for example, a fundamental with-certain partials. In other words, the individual pattern or guide groove may, if desired, be produced by means of any suitable recording apparatus from a note to be reproduced, sounded upon any given instrument. I prefer, however, that the individual records cut by machinery consist of pattern grooves having characteristics that will enable them to produce vibrations corresponding to fundamental tones only of the notes, and other pattern grooves which will produce only certain partials of the said notes. The instrument is constructed so as to 4enable the elemental tones including the fundamental of any note to be combined with any partial of that note, and includes means for controlling the volume of the different partials. In other words, the instrument can produce musical tones in which the fundamentals of the tones are combined, for example, with second and fourth partials or third and fifth partials, predominance being given. at will Thisv enables the instrument to be used to produce music having the timbre and tone quality of different musical in-` struments. For example, the oboe tone has twelve or more partials, the fourth and fifth predominating with 30% and 36% respectively, of the total loudness. In this instrument it may not be desirable to produce all twelve of the partials, but a close approximation to the oboe tone can be attained by employing thev fourth and fth partials, giving them approximately the volume percentage indicated above.

The pattern bodies employed may be of any desired type, for example, continuous belts or rotating cylinders in which different points of the cylinders operate as zones for producing a certain fundamental or partial of any predetermined note. In practice, however, I prefer to employ pattern members of disc form of the type employed in phonographs. These discs, however, do not have individual grooves of spiral form vulves.

twelve such pattern discs or central discs. .l'hese :,esaaec on them. but have individual pattern grooves of circular form, so that a stylus or pick-up device cooperating with the groove will continue to produce the same tone as the' pattern member re- '.l'he instrument illustrated includes discs are all driven lin timed relation with each other and, furthermore, each individual pattern Y groove is formed on the disc so that there is no interruption in the production of its characteristic musical tone. In other words, the undula tion or wave in the guide groove for the stylus (in that type of pattern member) is continuous and uninterrupted, so that the stylus or pick-up needle has the same character of vibration uninterruptedly.

,These individual pattern grooves are preferably produced artificially by ,forming with a cutting tool a `circular groove for each simple tone on the pattern disc, producing a certain number of undulations, such that when the disc revolves at its predetermined speed, the undulations of the pattern groove will pass the pick-up point at a speed to give the corresponding variations in the electric current to reproduce that note.

lAccording to my invention I employ a pick-up device corresponding to each individual characteristic groove formed on these discs. I use the term "pick-up" device to describe any device to cooperate with a continuously-moving,r pattern groove and correlated to the pattern in such a way that the pick-up device and the pattern cooperate to produce vibrations characteristic of a certain tone.

According to my invention, I provide means cooperating with the pick-up device to enable any desired tone to be instantly produced. In the present instance, I may employ an electric pick-up device of a common form in which vibrations produced by the control pattern are translated into pulsations in the current flowing in a circuit. The pick-up devices control the operation of sound-translating devices and any suitable means may be employed for controlling the action of the pick-up devices on the sound-translating devices. In this way in producing music with the instrument, although the control patterns are driven continuously, they do not produce any effect on the sound-translatingdevices until permitted to do so by the control means. In the present instance the control means is in the form of a keyboard resembling the keyboard of a piano or organ and having keys corresponding to all of the different notes which the instrument is designed to produce. By the depression of any note, the sound-translating device that will produce that note becomes active. In addition to the provision of means for controlling the predominance of partials corresponding to different tone qualities, as exemplified in different orchestra instruments, I provide means for regulating at any instant the total volume of the music tones being produced. This enables the instrument to be played with any desired expression, to be determined by the mechanical control means,

or by the musician when it is played by means of I In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, I provide a plurality of pattern members indicated generally by the numeral 1 (see Figure 1). These pattern members are in the form of discs mounted on vertical shafts 2 in a casing 3, and these shafts are driven in unison in any suitable manner. In the present embodiment, I provide a central shaft l in thel casing 3, carrying pinions 5 which mesh with corresponding gear wheels 6 on the diiferent shafts. As illustrated in Figure 1, these pinions are of the same size to give the discs their predetermined speeds. The shaft 4 is driven through bevel gears 7, which are actuated through a reduction gear and clutch 8 the driving shaft of which is driven by an electric motor 9. Suitable means should be employed for insuring a substantially constant rotary speed for the shaft 4. This may be accomplished through the medium of a governor of any suitable type, not illustrated. Each pattern disc is provided with a plurality of individual patterns (see Figure 10 which illustrates one of the individual patterns 10) although it should be understood that the entire upper face of the disc is covered with these individual patterns which may be in the form of grooves (see Figure 12). These grooves may be of the common type used in phonograph discs and the grooves may carry undulations on their bottom or on their side faces to produce the desired vibration. Each one of the pattern members, such as the pattern member 10,-corresponds to a certain note of a musical scale and is formed with undulations of a character such that when the disc is driven at its predetermined speed, the undulations in the groove will produce the desired number of variations per second in the electric current to produce the characteristic note or tone at a sound-translating device to correspond with that individual pattern. If desired, these individual patterns can be formed by any of the known methods directly from the note or tone sounded on different kinds of musical instruments. I prefer, however, to make each individual pattern member, such as the member 10, so that it produces asimple tone, and I employ on each disc a plurality of individual patterns such as pattern grooves, each of which will produce the fundamentals of the notes, and also a plurality of individual patterns or grooves that will produce the different partials of the simple fundamental tones when these patterns are cooperating with their pick-up devices, to be described hereinafter. In other words, the discs carry grooves to produce the different fundamental tones, and other grooves to produce the different partials of the tones for each note that the instrument is capable of producing. Each groove such as the groove 10, is formed in such a way that the undulations are continuous' without changing their character. ure 10 if the undulation of the groove is at its most outward point at the point 11, the groove on the disc must be symmetrical at this point with respect tothe diametric axis 12 of the disc, that is to say, the length of the groove covered by a single complete oscillation must be an aliquot part of the entire length `of the groove throughout 360 measured on, the disc. This groove can be cut by machinery, and if this disc is driven at a certain number of revolutions per second it can be made to produce vibrations of a stylus, ruiming in the groove, to correspond with a given note.

Cooperating with each pattern, such as the For example, in Figpattern 10, I provide a pick-up device. These pick-up devices may be of any desired construction which will cooperate' with the individual pattern on the disc to produce the desired corresponding vibrations. In the instrument illustrated, the pick-ups are mounted in a casing 13 and there is one of these casings corresponding to each disc (see Figure 1). These pick-up devices are of the type illustrated in Figure 12. but may be of the type illustrated in Figure 13. They will be described more in detail hereinafter. At this time it is sumcient to say that each pick-up has a stylus or needle 14 which runs in the groove 15 of the pattern member 1, and the movements caused by the oscillations of the stylus cause variations in an electric current, said variations corresponding to the particular note or tone which the individual pattern is intended to produce.

In Figure 15 I illustrate diagrammatically the general arrangement of a portion of a synthetic usical instrument of this type and embodying discs 1 such as illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to this gure 16, 17 and 18 indicate three platens or rotary tables on the different shafts 2 that rotate the discs 1. The discs 1 rest on these platens and are properly centered and aligned with each other, so that when the discs rotate with the platens they will all move at their predetermined speeds. The instrument may be considered to operate with any musical scale, but I prefer to employ what is known usually as the tempered chromatic scale.

Referring again to Figure 15, each of the discs illustrated preferably corresponds to a certain note. For example, the disc on the platen 16 may correspond to the C notes of the scale; the disc von the platen l'lmay correspond to the D notes on the scale, and the disc on the platen 18 may correspond to the E notes on the same scale. The instrument would, of course, include discs carrying the other notes of the scale, including all the sharp and flat notes of this scale. The three discs illustrated in Figure 10 illustrate the principle of the invention and its mode of operation. The instrument includes a plurality of sound-translating devices such as loud speakers 19 and the instrument is constructed so that the different pick-up devices will affect these soundtranslating devices so as to produce the desired notes.

Between the pick-up devices and the soundtranslating devices a controlling means is employed for inhibiting and rendering active the different sound-translating devices, so as to produce the music. Any known mechanical controlling means may be'employed in this connection. In the present instance, however, I have illustrated the instrument as controlled by an ordinary keyboard 20 having individual keys 21 corresponding to an ordinary piano keyboard or an organ keyboard. In the operation of the instrument, when any one of the keys 21 is depressed, a circuit will be closed through a corresponding pick-up device, which will develop pulsations in the circuit characteristic of the control pattern or groove corresponding to the pick-up; then the tone, fundamental or partial, corresponding to the pick-up will be emitted by the sound-translating device.

In order to accomplish this, the different discs have mounted in a diametric arrangement above them, a plurality of pick-up devices 22. pick-up devices illustrated are ofthe type illustrated in Figure 12. They are connected by in- The ' different keys ofthe keyboard 20. Suppose, for

example, the extreme base C on the keyboard 20 is struck. This key is indicated speciflcallyby -the letter c on itsend. The depression of this key will close a circuit through a wire 23 leading from a supply trunk wire 24 so that current will pass through a wire 24' indicated as extending from the back of the key in Figure 15. This wire 24' connects to a trunk wire 25. as indicated at the extreme left in Figure 15, which, at its upper end, connects to a lateral branch wire 26 that leads down through a control box 27.

The control box 27 carries the letter C to indicateA that it corresponds to this C of the scale. The function of this control box is to determine the volume of the tone produced, and will be described in connection with Figure 3. From the control lbox 27- the current passes on down a wire 28 that corresponds to the pick-up device 22 for the individual control pattern or groove on the disc l on the platen 16. From the pick-up device 22 the current hows out on a branch wire 29 that connects to a trunk wire 30 corresponding to this particular disc. The end of this wire 30 connects to a return trunk wire 31 that leads back to a point near the keyboard 20, at which point it connects with another means for controlling the volume of the tone. This means, however, controis simultaneously the volume of all tones being produced by the instrument. Any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. In the present instance the end 32 of the return trunk 31 connects to the hub of an arm 34 on aninsulated shaft 33. This shaft carries a plurality of such contact arms including the arm 34 corresponding to this particular circuit, and this arm cooperates with a rheostat coil 35, the end of which connects to a wire 36 which at the point 37 connects to the corresponding wire 24. This part of the circuit which passes through the rheostat coil 35 merely controls the volume of the tone. The note or tone produced by the depression of the c key referred to above closes a circuit through one of the soundtranslating devices through the medium of a branch wire 38 that leads off from the return trunk wire 31 and connects to a trunk wire 39 leading along a plurality of amplifiers 40. These amplifiers are connected by leading-in wires 41 to the trunk wire 39 and are connected by wires 42 that lead back to the keyboard 20 and connect respectively with the wires 24.

It will be seen that if the C key is struck, refcrring now to the extreme bass C on the keyboard, a circuitwill be closed from the pick-up 22 connected with its individual wire 29 through the wires 30 and 31 and wire 38 and thence through the corresponding amplifier 40 for the horn circuit. The horn is actuated from the amplier 40 through wires 19a and 19h connecting it to the amplifier. While it would bepossible to connect all of the circuits for the diiierent keys of the keyboard to the same horn or loud speaker, I prefer to provide a plurality of such speakers which are tuned to adapt them to produce notes most effectively at dierent points in the scale. Although all of the horns connected may be sounded, they will of course sound in unison and that horn which is tuned to the point of the scale in which the note is struck will most eiectively produce the desired tone.

Suppose that the musician desires that the key struck, for example the extreme bass C, shall produce a tone having the quality of an oboe. In that case the musician will operate a selective device that will produce partials of the funda-I mental tone C. which would be produced through the agency of the circuits just described. In or' der to accomplish this, I provide a plurality of quality selectors in the form of switches indi-Y cated generally by the numeral 44.

In this instance. let us assume that the switchv 44o corresponds to the quality that the musician desires. The musician then would press down on the handle 45 of the switch. 'Ihis will effect the closing of circuits through the diiferent control. boxes 27 that correspond to the partials, giving them the desired volume to correspond with this instrument. In order to enable this to be accomplished, associated with each pick-up device 2 2 for a corresponding vfundamental tone there are a plurality of other pick-up devices that cooperate with grooves on the disc that produces partials of the tone. In the present instance I have illustrated three partials corresponding to each fundamental. Referring again to the same key, namely the extreme bass C, suppose that the musician has pressed down on the handle 45. This will close a circuit from the ground (see Figure 15). through a battery 47 and through a trunk wire 100 48, and thence through a branch 49 into the conductive arm 50 of the switch 44o. 'I'his coni ductive arm 50 will touch a contact 51 carried on a branch wire 52 that leads over to the right in Figure 15 and connects to a trunk wire 53 that 105v extends upwardly and connects to a branch wire 54. This branch wire leads into the control box 27 corresponding to the key struck and will result in setting the mechanism in the control box 27 that connects with the wire 28 so that it will give 110 a certain amount of volume to the fundamental tone produced through the agency of the wire 28. The way in which this is accomplished will now be described in connection with the second partial.

The conductive arm 50 will also touch a contact 55 on a branch wire 56 that connects to a trunk wire 57 that passes up and connects to a branch wire 58 that leads over vand down through a control box, indicated by the reference numeral Cp?. The current owing through this branch 58 passes through this control box of the second partial and connects to a wire 59 that is connected to a trunk wire 60 grounded at 61. In this way this second partial circuit is set for the desired volume to attain the desired quality.

The switch 44o will also, through its arm 50, engage a contact 62 that is connected to a wire 63 that leads over andconnects to a trunk wire 64 that extends up past the discs. Adjacent the uppermost disc, as illustrated in Figure 15, this trunk wire 64 has a branchwire 65 attached to it that extends over and passes down through one of the control boxes 27, indicated specifically by the reference numeral C113, from which the circuit passes by wire 66 to the wire 60 that is grounded at 61.

In addition to this, the arm 50 of this switch lever will engage another contact 67 that is connected to a wire 68 that connects at its end to a 140 trunk wire 69 that extends up past the disc, and this wire connects to a branch wire 'I0 that leads over into another one of the control boxes 27, which is indicated specically by the reference numeral Cp", and the circuit through this Wire is completed through a wire 71 on the leit side of the control box that connects to the grounded wire 60, as in the case of the other partial control boxes C112 and C113.

In this way these three control boxes for the partials are connected up to give different prominence to the different partials. In other words, each partial will have a certain percentage of the loudness of the composite tone. In this connection, reference is had to Figure 3 which indicates the wiring arrangement inside of the control box. 'I'liese control boxes are all alike on their interiors. Each control box has a leading-in wire 72 that connects with the circuit wire leading from any key on the keyboard that happens to be'struck. For example, if the key struck is the extreme bass key c, then this leading-in wire 72 would connect to the wire 26 (see Figure 15). Inside of the control box the wire 72 connects to a header wire 73 that connects to four parallel wires 74, 75, 76 and 77, all of which connect at their lower ends to a header wire 78 corresponding to the header wire 73, and this lower header wire 78 connects to a leading-out wire 79 that connects to the wire that leads from the control box to the corresponding pick-up device 22. In the case of the extreme bass key c, this leading-out wire 79 would attach to the wire 28. The parallel wires 74, 75, 76 and 77 are intended to oiler different resistances to the passage of current passing through the control box on the circuit connected with the wires 72 and 79. For this purpose three of these wires, as indicated, may be provided with resistances 80, 81 and 82, which are of different value as resistances, but oer resistances of predetermined amounts in any desired relation. The wire 77, not having any resistance included in it, may be considered as the 100% connection to give the greatest possible volume of the tone in the circuit.

The wire 76, including the shortest resistance, may be considered as giving a 50% volume. Likewise, the wires and 74 may be considered to give respectively a 30% volume and a 20% volume. These wires 74, 75, 76 and 77 have electrically controlled switches 83 corresponding to them, and these switchesl are normally open..

Only one of them is closed at a time, and that is the one which is determined by the selective switch, such as the switch 44o. 'Ihe coils 84, 85, 86 and 87 of these switches are grounded at one end to wires corresponding to the wires 59, 66 and 71, already referred to, and which are connected to the trunk wire 60 grounded at 61. Assuming that all of the control boxes have the same arrangement of the resistance wires illustrated in Figure 3, it `will be evident that the closing of the circuits through the control boxes Cp, Cp3 and Cp, as described above, will result ln giving 100% for the second partial C112, 30% for the third partial Cp3 and about 20% for the fourth partial Cp. This does not correspond accurately t'o the quality of the oboe, because in 'that instrument, as indicated above, the greatest predominance is given to the fourth partial. However, that instrument was selected merely by way of example. When the'selective switch, such as the switch 44e, is moved into its closed position, it engages the proper contacts to close the desired electric switches 83 through the medium of the coils 84, 85, 86 or 87, which are solenoid coils enveloping a stem which operates as a core for the solenoid and carries the bridge" of the switch. The other control boxes corresponding to this uppermost disc (see Figure 15) are wired in the same way as that indicated above, that is to say, they have wires corresponding to the wires already described in con-A nection with the extremebass key c. It will be noted that each of the control boxes Cp, Cp3 and p is connected by a wire 84 to a corresponding pick-up device 22K cooperating with a characteristic pattern groove-.on the disc. In other words, referring to Figure 15, the pick-up device 22 next to the left one in connection with 'the uppermost disc, corresponds to the par- 80 tial control. box Cpz and this pick-up device cooperates with an individual characteristic pattern groove that will produce the second partial of the note c.

The means whereby the partials for any par- 85 ticular tone are connected into circuits will now be described. In this connection` it should be understood that when any key on the keyboard is struck, its first effect is merely to close a circuit through the fundamental control box. For example, when the extreme bass key c is struck, it closes a fundamental tone circuit through the extreme left pick-up device 22 on the uppermost disc (see Figure l5). The movement of the selective switch, for example the switch 44c, 95 not only supplies current to certain of the electromagnet coils 84, 85, 86 and 87, but also automatically closes switches so as to supply current to all of the wires corresponding to that key that connect to the partials corresponding to the control boxes Cpz, Cp's and Cp. In order to accomplish this, the arm 50 of the switch 44o, in its closed position, engages the contact 88 that is connected by a wire 89 to a. trunk wire 90 that leads back to a header wire 91. This header 105 wire connects to branches 92, 93 and 94, which connect respectively to three solenoid coils 94', 95 and 96. The opposite ends of these coils are connected to the ground at 97, 98 and 99. Each solenoid coil controls a bank of switches. For example, the solenoid coil 94' controls a bank of switches 100 corresponding to all of the second partials of the'entire instrument. Likewise the solenoid coil 95 controls a bank of switches 101 that correspond to all of the third partials of the entire instrument; and the solenoid coil 96 contrlsa bank of switches 102 corresponding to all of the fourth partials of the instrument. This is illustrated in they case of the key c, already referred to, and the diagram also illustrates a connection for some of the other keys. As regards the key c at the extreme left of the keyboard, when this key is depressed current is owing in the wire 24 and in the trunk wire 25. Connected to this wire 25 there is a branch wire 125 103 that leads across to a corresponding switch 104, returning from the switch by wire 105 that extends up and passes down through the upper side of the control box Cp. .In a similar manner and by similar wire connections the individual switches of this bank 100 close the circuits through all of the second partial control boxes of the entire instrument. Any suitable means may be employed to effect the closing of the banks of switches through the medium of the solenoidfcoils 94', 95 and 96. In the present 135 instance each coil cooperates with a curved core 106 which effects rotation of the shaft. These switches are illustrated more in detail in Figures 6 and 7, and will now be described more 140 fully.

Each of these switches consists of two contact leaves or plates 107 and 108 having contact points 109 to touch and close the circuit when they come together, as illustrated in Figure 7. By their own resiliency, these contact leaves hold themselves apart unless they are pressed together by a, corresponding cam 110 on the shaft 111 of the bank of switches. 'I'he contact members 107 and 108 are mounted on an insulating bar 112 and the 150 wires of the circuit that they close are attached to the shaft ends of these contacts.

As illustrated in Figure 15, all of the selective switches, except the left hand switch 44d, correspond to the different musical instruments, but the switch 44d does not close the circuit that energizes the coils 94', 95 and 96. In other words, thisI switch merely operates` when closed to connect the instrument in such a way that it will produce only fundamental tones. When this switch 44d is closed and all of the other switches are open, its conductive arm 113 comes against a contact 114 attached to the aforesaid wire 52. This wire, as described above, connects with the ywire 54 that'closes the uppermost electromagnetic switch at 87 (see Figure 3), and this will result in giving a 100% volume as regards the control box C. Current is supplied to make this circuit from the wire 43 already described, which has a branch 115 connecting to an'upper contact 116 (see Figure 15).

Referring again to the switch bank 100, and particularly to Figure 5, it will be noted that a spring 117 is provided connected with a fixed arm 118 on the shaft of each of these multiple switches. This spring operates to hold its corresponding multiple switch in an open position.

In Figure 8, I illustrate a bank of the switches 44 already referred to, and in this arrangement which is illustrated in Figure 8, the switches are disposed one above the other. This `is to place them within convenient reach of the operator. There may be as many of these vertical rows as desired. This will depend upon the number of switches which it is desired to employ in the instrument, in other words, upon the number of different qualities of tones the instrument is constructed to produce. These switches may be of any suitable construction. As illustrated in Figure 8, each switch comprises an insulating body 119 mounted to rock on a horizontal shaft 120 and provided with an operating handle 121 extending through a slot 122 in the forward wall 123 of the switch casing. The switch includes a plurality of contact leaves 124 disposed in opposite pairs (see Figure .9). The ends of the contact leaves 124 arey provided at their ends with bows 125 that touch each other when the arm 126 of the switch is in the position indicated at the uppermost switch in Figure 8. In this view, switch 44b is shown in its open position, and this is the normal position of these switches.

- Each switch isprovided with a snap spring of any suitable construction that operates to hold it in either of its positions, that is to say, either open or closed. This spring may consist of a bow 127 attached to the back wall .of the casing and carrying near its middle point a strut link 128, the free end of which is received in a small socket 1,29 on the face of the rocker body 119. In the closed position of the switch, this strut link inclines downwardly at its end and in the open position of the switch, inclinesin an upward direction, as indicated in connection with the switch 44j. It should be understood, of course,

that the arms 126 of these switches are of iny sulating material, so that when holding the contact arms 124 of the switch apart, the corresponding circuits are all held open. In Figure 9, I illustrate a wire cable 130 in cross section that leads up in the switch casing` to carry the wires that connect tov the spring contacts 124. It should be understood that these spring contacts, by their own resiliency, come together when the arm 126 moves out from between them'.

The contacts for the keys ofthe keyboard can be given any desired arrangement, such as that illustrated in Figure 11. Each key consists of a body 131 constructed like an ordinary piano key and having an adjustable contact 132 on its under side which is connected 'to a wire, such as the wire 24' (see Figure 15) Below the key I provide a fixed contact 133, that is touched by the contact 132 when the key is depressed. The fixed contact 133 connects to a wire, such as the wire 23 (see Figure 15) The key is provided with suitable means, such as a coil spring 134, for normally holding the key in raised position.

Beneath the keys one or more cables, such as the cable 135, may be provided for carrying wires such as the wires 23 and 37 that connect to these contacts.

Referring again to the pick-up device illustrated in Figure 12, this device comprises two magnets 136 carrying coils 137. These magnets are opposed to each other and between their poles 138 there is mounted a stylus carrier .139, the lower end of which carries a. stylus 114. This stylus carrier is elongated and carries its own coil 140. When the pattern groove 15 develops vibrations in the stylus carrier 139, this carrier rocks on its pivot 141 near its middle point and this causes fluctuations in the current flowing through the coil 140. The ends of these coils are connected to the individual key circuits. In other words, referring to Figure 15, for example, one end of the coil of the left hand pick-up corresponding to the platen 16 is connected to the wire 28, while the other end of the coil is connected to the wire 29.

In connection with the pick-up device, it should be understood that any type of instrument to perform its functions may be employed. r Instead of employing the well-known'type of pickup illustrated in Figure 12, I may employ a pickup device of my own invention, illustrated in Figure 13.

Referring to this gure, 142 indicates the stylus which runs on the side of the groove 143 of the pattern 144. This stylus is carried in the stylus carrier 145 mounted on a fixed pivot 146, which has a horizontal axis. The upper and long arm of the stylus carrier is attached at' about the middle point of a condenser plate 147, the face of which lies very close to a condenser plate 148 to which it is parallel. The distance between these plates should be about .002 of an inch. The upper end of the movable condenser plate 147 carries a flexible tongue 149 that is xed at 150 to a bracket on the pick-up casing 151. At the point 150 a wire 152 is adapted to be con- .nected into an amplifying circuit 153, one wire 154 of which is connected to the fixed condenser plate 148. The circuit 153 includes a shunt 155, carrying a battery 156 and an adjustable rheostat 157. The anchored end of the rheostat coil 157 connects to the wire 154 at the point 158 and this point is connected to one of the terminals of an amplifier 159 at the point 160. The other side of the amplifier connects to a primary coil 161 cooperating with a secondary 162 that supplies current to the translating devices, such as arrangement for broadcasting.

wires carrying electric impulses from the dinerent tone circuits, and these wires all connect up to a header wire 163 that passes into broadcasting apparatus 164 from which the current passes out through a return wire 165.

This broadcasting apparatus 164 is connected up to antenna 166 in a grounded circuit including a ground wire 167, or any other suitable circuit Inv practicing the invention, it is obvious that a vibration could be given at aloud speaker corresponding to a partial tone while the fundamental or other partials of thesame are being produced simultaneously at other loud speakers; the different tones would mix in the air harmoniously and attain the same eect as though issuing from a single loud speaker.

It should be understood that in practicing vthe invention it is not necessary to provide a separate pattern disc for all of the C notes or any other particular note. If desired, C patterns and D patterns and other note patterns can be carried on the same disc.

It is also not essential to have the disc shafts rotate at the same speed; infact, if the grooves yare made artificially by cutting undulations in the discs, I prefer to run the discs at diilerent speeds and for this purpose proportion the teeth of the gears to drive the different discs as indicated in the table below. In this table the main shaft referred to in the table corresponds, of course, to the shaft 4 of Figure 1. and the disc shaft referred to in the table corresponds to the shafts 2 of Figure 1 that carry the discs, or drive the same, at the same speed as the disc shaft.

Revolutions of main shaft 964.1

, tone,

device. said stylus being constantly in contact with its corresponding pattern groove and capable of cooperating with its corresponding groove, said parts cooperating to produce a plurality of simple tones corresponding to the different patterns, sound translating means controlled by the said pick-up devices and controlling means for controlling the actuation of the sound translating devices by the pick-up devices.

2. In apparatus of the kind described, the combination of av plurality of pattern members, each pattern member having a plurality of pattern grooves each characteristic of a different simple electric circuits including a source of electromotive force, corresponding respectively to the said pattern grooves, -a pick-up device in each circuit, a stylus for actuating each pick-up device and constantly in engagement with a corresponding pattern and cooperating with the same to produce characteristic variations corresponding to different simple tones, in the current flowing in the electric circuit, sound-translating means controlled by the said circuits, andv controlling means for controlling the effect of the pick-up devices on the sound-translating devices.

3. In apparatus of the kind described, tre combination of a plurality of pattern members, each pattern member having a plurality of patterns each characteristic of a certain simple tone, each pattern having a pattern circuits including a source of electromotive force corresponding respectively to said patterns, a stylus-actuated pick-up device in each circuit having a stylus constantly in the pattern groove and cooperating with the groove on a correspond- Gear on disc shalt Gear on main shaft Disc Pitch 0 tsld Pt O tsid R PkM i u o i c u ..o Pitch No. teeth da* dit Pitch No. teeth da' da* disc 38 158 4.158 4. 211 38 80 2. 105 2.158 488. 2 30 123 4. 100 4. 166 30 66 2. 200 2. 267 517. 3 32 132 4. 126 4. 188 32 75 2. 343 2. 406 447. 8 MB 3. 961 4. 038 26 62 2. 384 2. 462 580. 3 30 116 3. 866 3. 933 30 74 2. 466 2. 533 615. 0 28 l 3. 857 3. 929 28 73 2. 607 2. 678 651. 7 26 95 3.653 3.731 Z3 68 2.615 2.692 690.0 32 116 3. 625 3.688 32 88 2. 750 2.813 731. 4 30 102 3. 4(1) 3. 466 30 82 2. 733 2. 8m 775. l 24 8l 3. 375 3. 458 24 69 2. 875 2. 958 821. 3 28 92 3%6 3.357 83 2.964 3.036 869.8 40 136 3. 4(1) 3. 450 40 130 3. 250 3. 300 921. 6

Although I have described pattern members for producing impulses or variations in the electric current in the circuit connecting with the Lsound-translating means, the invention may be practiced by using any other means, for example, tuning forks, capable of vibrating at different rates to produce the variations or impulses in the circuits to actuate the sound-translating device.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the kind described, the combinationof a plurality of pattern members, each pattern member having a plurality of individual patterns, each characteristic of a different simple tone, each pattern member having a pattern groove thereo a plurality of pick-up devices corresponding respectively to each pattern member, a stylus for actuating each pick-up ing pattern to produce characteristicvariations in the current flowing in the electric circuit, sound-translating means controlled by the said circuits, controlling means for controlling the effect of the pick-up devices on the sound-translating devices, and means connected with the electric circuits for regulating the relative volume of the sound produced by the different pattern grooves.

4. In apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a plurality of pattern members, each pattern member having a plurality of characteristic patterns for producing the different fundamental tones oi' the different notes of a scale, and having a plurality of characteristic grooved patterns for producing the diil'erent partial tones of the different notes of the scale, corresponding to the said fundamental tones, electric circuits including a source of electromotive force, corresponding respectively to the said patterns, a stylus-actuated pick-up device in each circuit tern to produce characteristic variationsI in the current flowing in the electric circuits corresponding to a simple fundamental tone, and other variations corresponding to a simple partial tone, each pick-up device having a stylus constantly running in its groove, sound-translating means controlled by the said circuits, and keyactuated means for closing the circuits and controlling the relation between the pick-up devices and the sound-translating device to render the latter active or inactive.

5. In apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a pattern member having a plurality of pattern grooves each having a fixed character and each capable of producing a single tone, a plurality of pick-up devices corresponding to each pattern, each pick-up device having a stylus constantly in contact with its corresponding pattern single tone, sound-translating means controlled by the said pick-up devices, and controlling means for controlling the effect of the pickup devices on the sound-translating means.

6. In a synthetic musical instrument, the combination of a pattern member having a plurality of individual characteristic pattern grooves for producing the fundamental tones of different notes of a scale, and having a plurality of characteristic individual pattern grooves for producing partials of the said notes, a plurality of pickup devices corresponding to each individual pattern and each pick-up device having a stylus constantly running in its corresponding groove and cooperating with the same to produce its corresponding simple tone, sound-translating means controlled by the saidpick-up devices, and

controlling means for controlling the effect of the pick-up devices on the sound-translating means.

7. In a synthetic musical instrument, the combination of a pattern member having a plurality of individual characteristic pattern grooves for producing fundamental tones corresponding to different notes of a scale, and having a plurality of characteristic individual pattern grooves for producing partials of the said notes, a plurality of pick-up devices corresponding to each individual pattern groove and having styluses constantly running in a corresponding groove and cooperating with the .same to produce its corresponding simple tone, sound-translating means controlled by the said pick-up devices, and selective means for effecting the combination of the fundamental tones with certain of the corresponding partials to produce composite tones reproducing the quality of tones of different musical instruments. I

8. In a synthetic musical instrument, the combination of a pattern member having a plurality of individual characteristic pattern grooves for producing fundamental tones of notes of a scale, and having a plurality of characteristic individual pattern grooves for producing partials of the said notes, a plurality of pick-up devices corresponding to each individual pattern groove and having styluses respectively, constantly running in a corresponding groove and cooperating with the same to produce its corresponding simple tone, sound-translating means controlled by the said pick-up devices, selective means for effecting the combination-'of the fundamental tones with certain corresponding partials to produce composite tones reproducing the quality of tones of different musical instruments, and controlling means for controlling theeflect of the pick-up devices cn the sound-translating means.

9. In a synthetic musical instrument, the combination of a pattern member having a plurality of individual characteristic pattern grooves for producing fundamental tones of notes of a scale, and having a plurality of characteristic individual pattern grooves for producing partials of the said notes, a plurality of pick-up devices, each pick-up device having a stylus constantly running in a groove corresponding to each individual record and cooperating with the same to produce its corresponding simple tone, sound-translating means controlled by the said pick-up devices, se-

leetive means for combining certain partials with the corresponding fundamental tones of the same notes to produce composite tones, and means for controlling the volume of the different partials to produce the quality of different musical instruments. 10. In a synthetic musical instrument, the combination of a pattern member having a plurality of individual characteristic pattern grooves for producing fundamental tones of notes of a scale, and having a plurality of characteristic individual pattern grooves for producing partials of the said notes, a plurality of pick-up devices corresponding to each individual pattern and each having a stylus constantly running in its corresponding groove and co-operating with the same to produce its corresponding simple tone, soundtranslating means controlled by the said pick-up devices, selective means for combining certain partials with corresponding fundamental tones of the same notes to produce composite tones, means for controlling the volume of the different partials to produce the quality of different musical instruments, and key-controlled means-forv controlling the effect of the pick-up devices on the sound-translating means.

11. In a synthetic musical instrument, the combination of a plurality or pattern discs, means for rotating the same in timed relation, each of said discs having a plurality of individual pattern grooves characteristic of simple tones, a plurality of pick-up devices corresponding respectively to each pattern groove and each having a stylus constantly running in a corresponding groove and capable of cooperating with the same to produce a plurality of different simple tones, and sound-translating means controlled by the said pick-up devices.

l2. In a synthetic musical instrument, the combination of a plurality of pattern discs, means for rotating the same in timed relation, each of said discshaving a plurality of individual pattern grooves characteristic of simple. tones, a plurality of pick-up devices corresponding respectively to each pattern andeach having a stylus constantly running in its corresponding groove and capable of cooperating with the same to produce a plurality of diierent simple tones, sound-translating means controlled by the said pick-up devices, and controlling means for controlling the actuation of the sound-translating devices by the pick-up devices.

13. In apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a pattern member having a plurality of individual characteristic pattern grooves, an electric pick-up device corresponding to each groov and including a stylus constantly running in its corresponding groove, an electric circuit passing through, and corresponding to, each pick-up device and receiving impulses corresponding to the groove, a keyboard having a key corresponding to each pick-up device, soundtranslating devices connected with the circuits and actuated through the agency of the pick-up said stylus is controlled by the character of the said groove, an electric circuit corresponding to each pick-up device and carrying an electric current having a frequency determined -by the vibrations of its corresponding pick-up device, controlling means for controlling the closing of the electric circuits, and radio broadcasting apparatus connected with the said electric circuits for broadcasting the electric impulses.

VICTOR H. SEVERY.

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